HOME AND SCHOOL: Work focuses on children, teamwork

Cory Thomas, president of the P.E.I. Home and School Federation, lives in Summerside with his wife and two children, who both attend Elm Street Elementary School - Contributed

Nine P.E.I. schools to pilot healthy school food program in the fall

The work of the P.E.I Home and School Federation in 2019 continues to focus on the importance of collaboration and advocacy in working toward the well-being and education of all Island children.

The federation is supplying each home and school with a Bannerbug display unit. Board members are delivering these in their respective family of school regions. This project is part of a communications plan. Banners provide an opportunity for local home and schools to showcase their locals at various events held in their schools.

In continuing to advocate for a healthy school food program, Morgan Palmer, school food co-ordinator, organized an overseeing of a centralized kitchen model, pay-what-you-can meal participation and school community feedback program at St. Jean and Prince Street schools. This information will be used to ensure a smoother transition for the nine pilot schools in fall of 2019.

Invest in school food by supporting #NourishKidsNow a grassroots campaign that is calling on the federal government to make a cost-shared investment in healthy, universal school food programs, which would build on the investments of our provinces, municipalities and communities. The campaign landing page is at healthyschoolfood.ca/nourishkidsnow.

The department of education’s school calendar committee is looking at the development of a multi-year calendar. The federation is represented on this committee by Donna MacLeod, Kinkora family of schools.

School staff will be celebrated across Canada Feb. 11-15 during Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week. Home and School Associations are planning to show appreciation to school staff for the contributions they make to children and their education. Five Extra Mile Awards will be presented across P.E.I. during staff appreciation week.

The Public Schools Branch board of directors will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m., at Mount Stewart Consolidated. Members of the public are welcome. Anyone who wishes to make a presentation to the board must submit a written request to the board chair or the director of the Public Schools Branch by 4 p.m. on Feb. 11. Contact 902-368-6850 for more information.

The Home and School president’s annual reports are due Feb. 28. They describe local home and school activities throughout the current school year. Reports will be included in the 2019 annual Book of Reports. Contact the office for more information.

The Steve McQuaid Home and School Volunteer of the Year award is presented annually at the annual meeting and convention. Submit nominations to the federation office on March 15. Find more information at peihsf.ca/awards.

Calendar dates to mark include the federation’s 66th annual meeting and conference on Saturday, April 13, at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel. This year’s theme will focus on advocacy and communication.

After the business portion of the meeting, a facilitated, interactive session will allow members to contribute to current education topics. The discussion points will be collected and summarized for the purposed of providing the federation with valuable feedback in the effort to represent you in advocating for high standards in P.E.I.’s public education system. All home and schools are invited to attend with each association asked to designate five attendees as your school’s voting delegates.

Include teachers, administrators and staff as delegates. Registration information will be mailed to presidents and posted online in February. For more information on federation activities, follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Cory Thomas, president of the P.E.I. Home and School Federation, lives in Summerside with his wife and two children, who both attend Elm Street Elementary School. His column appears in The Guardian during the school year on the first Thursday of the month. He welcomes comments from readers and information for the column. He can be reached at peihsf.ca or 902-620-3186.